Chapter 49

Dressed in resplendent attire, the people exuded a tense atmosphere. Among them, a man with a mantis-like face, sitting in a position that was easier to count from the upper seats, closed his upturned eyes and remained silent with a tight-lipped expression.

"This matter is a grave situation for the Holy Bandam Kingdom. We cannot deny that our military strength has significantly declined, and we cannot avoid the responsibility for this unprecedented mishap."

More than twenty people were seated on both sides of the grand long table, but the man who made this statement was a large man sitting in the middle of the left side from the upper seats.

"I agree with the words of the Minister of War!"

The man who supported the statement of the Minister of War was also a large man, one of the generals of the Holy Bandam Kingdom, Viscount Sevan.

The large man referred to as the Minister of War is Earl Eibus Kudo Tomrowsky. Earl Tomrowsky holds the position of Minister of War, which is equivalent to the Minister of Defense in Japan, overseeing the entire military of the Holy Bandam Kingdom. He appears to be a muscle-bound man.

Despite his muscular appearance, this Minister of War, Tomrowsky, is skilled in military strategy and is an excellent general, both in civil and military affairs.

Viscount Sevan is a general of the Black Army, the national army of the Holy Bandam Kingdom, and has been assigned to command the front lines in this situation.

Both are loyal to the king and are close allies of the Margrave of Brutzel.

"Wait a moment. Rather than pursuing responsibility, we should discuss how to prepare for the advance of the Bossum Empire. Lord Jijan, what is the strength of the Bossum Empire?"

"Yes, the Bossum Empire has gathered its forces in the capital. The number of troops is estimated to be between 50,000 and 70,000. However, it is unclear whether these forces will be directed towards our country. I would appreciate a little more time."

As soon as the numbers were mentioned, the room buzzed with murmurs.

The Bossum Empire is one of the four major powers located to the west of the Holy Bandam Kingdom. Among the four major powers, it has the largest military force, and it shares borders with the Holy Bandam Kingdom and the Holy Orion Kingdom, constantly engaging in border conflicts with these two countries. The Bossum Empire is known for its elite troops, particularly its cavalry, which is considered the strongest.

"Before it's too late, the deployment of the Black Army to the border with the Bossum Empire has already been approved by His Majesty. However, the Black Army has only 15,000 troops, and we need at least 50,000 more."

"Perhaps we should give Duke Brennan a chance to restore his honor."

"Hmm, Duke Brennan, who turned a rare imperial-level magic item into a child's toy and destroyed it, should restore his honor by not only repelling the Bossum Empire but also launching a counterattack to seize and present their territory to His Majesty. Otherwise, it would be impossible to make up for this mishap."

"That sounds good. If so, His Majesty will surely forgive him."

"Given that Duke Brennan can turn an imperial-level magic item into a child's toy, he will surely handle the Bossum Empire with ease."

Harsh words relentlessly cornered Duke Brennan.

Duke Brennan had attempted to eliminate Christoph by using Warner's duel, entrusting him with an imperial-level magic item as part of his secret plan. However, not only did the plan fail, but the rare imperial-level magic item was also destroyed. Duke Brennan himself had never expected that the magic item would be destroyed, regardless of the outcome, and for him, it was a bolt from the blue.

The ranks of magic include lower, middle, upper, special, hero, royal, imperial, hegemonic, spirit, and divine levels. Among those with magical aptitude, which is about three out of ten people, most only have lower or middle-level aptitude. Upper-level aptitude is said to be one in ten, and special-level aptitude is even rarer. Hero and royal-level aptitude are said to be born only a few times every few decades, and those with imperial or hegemonic-level aptitude are only those who have been called heroes in the past.

The possession of magic items of imperial level or higher, which can be considered at the hero level, is managed by the royal family, and as an exception, the Brennan and Fendel ducal families were each allowed to possess one. A single imperial-level magic item could potentially destroy a small country, so such management is natural. Even the powerful Margrave of Brutzel, one of the top noble families in the Holy Bandam Kingdom, is not allowed to possess an imperial-level magic item.

The responsibility for managing such a valuable magic item was significant for the Brennan ducal family, and it was not something to be given lightly to a child. However, Duke Brennan, in order to counter the offensive of the Margrave of Brutzel, entrusted the rare imperial-level magic item to a child, resulting in the destruction of this rare item. This was an unforgivable mistake.

In other words, Duke Brennan found himself in a difficult position, and there was no one to defend him. No matter how much he was a respected figure among the nobility, the fact that he turned an imperial-level magic item into a child's toy and even destroyed it had completely undermined his influence.

As a result, Duke Brennan had to pour all his military and financial resources into repelling the large army of the Bossum Empire and even seize their territory. If he failed to do so, everyone believed that the Brennan ducal family would undoubtedly fall from grace. Duke Brennan himself also believed this.